WEB EXCLUSIVE Convent & Stuart Hall’s college counselors held a Zoom webinar on Sept. 17 to discuss the college process and junior year amidst COVID-19.  

College counselors discussed some of the changes the college process has endured such as some schools being test optional or test blind.

“I was supposed to take my SAT this Spring,” junior Mia Sassi said. “However there is still a lot of uncertainty if that will still be offered.”

Testing will occur in the Spring of 2021, however, those dates may change as a result of the virus, according to the college counseling team.  

“I think that it is great that we have such a great system of college counselors to help us through this time,” junior Mira Chawla said. “Because of the intensity of IB and the fact that we are still in the middle of COVID, I’m worried about the impact it may cause on college visits and testing.”

Although many colleges are unable to host in person campus tours, other outlets are available such as virtual campus visits, where students can register through Naviance. Students may also visit a virtual college fair starting on Oct. 12.

“When you don’t visit physically, it can be a little bit more challenging to really ascertain what campus feels like without seeing the students on campus,” College Counseling Director Rebecca Munda said. “ So what students can do is talk to current students in chat sessions or they can talk to our alumni.”

The college counseling team works closely with students to shape their five important traits to help find the right fit. These traits are location, size, culture, academics or the feel of the student body, according to Munda.

“I’m really interested in seeing what type of school I’m looking for,” Sassi said. “I’m looking forward to meeting with the college team.”